Bio
I was born and raised in New Orleans. In 1983 I took my first stained glass class, and right from the start, I was hooked. My first project was a small panel with an iris in the center, and though it was far from perfect, I loved it and found the craft fascinating. I also became interested in glass fusing and purchased a kiln. Soon after, I was introduced to bead making, and out of that grew a natural interest in using those beads to make jewelry.
In 1987 I moved to Lexington and settled in to the local art glass community. In 1990 I was juried into Kentucky Crafted. In 1995, I opened my own retail store and since then I’ve had the great privilege of working with hundreds of students, teaching them the art of making stained glass.
I’ve drawn much of my inspiration from the stained glass works of Frank Lloyd Wright, using my drafting tools to create the designs and shapes that are prevalent in his work. I love glass, in all its forms. I’ve always been attracted to the variations in colors and textures, and I love working with it. I find melting a rod of glass with a torch especially fascinating. There is no challenge I enjoy more than assembling a leaded panel, with the individual pieces like a puzzle coming together into a beautiful work of art.
Today, my store’s logo bears the same iris motif that I started with 25 years ago. After all these years of creating stained glass, I’ve never lost my passion for it. I only hope when others look at my work, they get as much joy out of it, as I did in creating it.